Ch Supt Ian Wylie said: “There’s been an incredible response from the emergency services, partner agencies, charities, volunteers and members of the public over the past 48 hours to keep people safe in extremely challenging weather conditions.

Cars had to be abandoned at the bottom of Lock's Hill on Thursday as a result of the snow

The snow is expected to thaw slowly over the next couple of days and travel conditions should be back to normal by Monday (March 5).

Temperatures are now above freezing and gritters are working hard to clear all the main routes through the county.

Ch Supt Ian Wylie said: “While most main roads in our region are now passable with care, we still have lying snow and ice affecting many routes, so we’d urge people to drive with caution and appropriate to the conditions.

“There will be some roads in our region, especially in Somerset, which remain impassable and ungritted minor roads will still be treacherous.

“The A46 near Bath remains closed due to drifting snow and Highways England are working hard to clear it so it can be re-opened to traffic.

“It’s likely there will be freezing temperatures overnight into Sunday and more icy conditions in the morning, so also stay up-to-date with the latest weather forecasts and any alerts issued by the Met Office.”